Traffic signal device



Sept 5, 1932- v. M. osBoRN 1,875,350

TRAFFIC S IGNAL DEVICE Filed Nov. 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet l` l Mllk dO.LS

INI/ENTOR.

V. M. OSBORN BYQ E A TTORN E Y.

Sept 6, 1932 l v. M, osBoRN 1,875,350

TRAFFIC SIGNAL DEVICE Filed Nov. 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 vz vEQLQE I I '11 L "25 f/ff 7- 13| E.; .E f g g INVENTOR. Y .M 42 M. SBoR/v 6 BY @l Ho- 43 A TTORNEY.

Patented Sept. 6, 1932 UNITED gSTATES l 1,875,35off VERN M. OSBORN, `:O'.LF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA TRAFFIC SIGNAL 'DEVICE Application. ined November 24, 1928. serial No. 321,576.

This invention relates to traiiic signaldevices.

The general object of the invention isto provide an improved traiiic signal device wherein the signalling mechanism is disposed on a low platform which may be portable.y

A further object of thek invention is toprovide a traiiic direction indicatorV wherein a portable stand is provided for a directing oiiicer and wherein the stand is surrounded by a rotatable direction signalling device.

A further obj ect of the invention is to pro' vide a traliic signal which is adapted to be operated through suitableV power operated mechanism.

Other objects of the invention willbe apparent from the following description-taken in connection withthe accompanying draw-A ings wherein: I f n f Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing my portable manually operated'ldevice.

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section through the device shown in 1.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the device partly in section. Y

' Fig. 4 is a section taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 2. f

Fig. 5 is a side elevation ofa modified form of my invention. Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section through the modified form of my device showing parts in elevation. g Y

Fig. 7'is a top plan view ofthe modication with parts in section. 'Fig 8 is a wiring diagram of the modified form. 'V

Fig. 9 is a section througha further modifica-tion of my invention. Fig. 10 is a section on line 10-1'0 of Fig. 9, and f Fig. 11 is a wiring diagram of the invention shown in Fig. 9.' f

Referring to the drawingsbyreference characters I have indicated my traffic signal L) generally at 10. VAs shown this signal comprises a body including a bottom portion 11 having a cylindrical memberl 12 secured thereon. The cylindrical memberV yis surr mounted by a top514 which yhas a cover 15 thereon. n 'g The top 14 is circular and is rabbeted about the peripheryas at 16. At intervals about this periphery I provide rollers 17 mounted on horizontal aXles 18. Upon these rollers I Viit a flange 19V of a signal member indicated generally at- 20.

' The signal member 2O ymay be of rectangular or other shape and includes sides 21. These sides are apertured as at 22 and 23 vand back of these apertures I place panels 24. These panels 24 have the words Go and Stopl or other suitable indicia thereon. The lower portion of the signal member 2() is pro-` vided with suitable spaced rollers 25 which bear against the wall of the member v12'.

Secured to two adjacent sides I'show an arcuate rack 26 which is engaged by a gear 26a mounted on one end of a shaft 27 which passes through collars 28 on the member 12. The other end of the shaft is supported in bearings 29 andl 30. Between these bearings I showl a pinion 31 which is adapted to beengaged by a gear 82 on a shaft 33.' The shaft 33 also has a pinion 34-secured thereon which is engaged-on each side by racks 85 and r36; The rack 35 has a pedal 37 thereon while the rack 36 has a pedal 38 thereon. The racksv are so disposed that when one pedal is up the other will b e fdown.

`In operating my invention the officer will place the signal in the proper position and while standing onl the cover 15 will put his foot on the pedal which projects upwardly and `will `push this pedal down. yThis will cause the signal member 2O to rotate through 90 thereby causing the Stop and Go signals to move. As the pedal is depressed the other pedal rises where it is available to change the signals when desired.

In Figs. 5 to 8'inclusive I haveshown a modified form of my invention. In this modification the bottom portion 11a, the cylindrical portion 12a, the top 14a, and the cover 15a, are shownas similar in all respects to the parts 11, 12, 14 and 15 previously described, with the exception that the cylinder 12a is of less diameter relative to the top 14a. Rollers 17a are engagedby a flange 40. A flange 41 supports 'rollers 25a which engage the. wall ofk vthelmember 12a. These anges semanawire29l4which connectsstoz-the battery thrcugh a control switch 95.

The'. switch: 88: ist similav: t'o the: switch 87 and includes; ai. themnn'lrssponsive metal. armi 96'Wl1ich/A isl` adapted. torbe heated by an. elec:- trical.` resistance ccih 97.; O neendl` ofthe: ccil 97; is connsctedc aaW-ire 9.8 to. a. contact: 99' andi theotlien endioftlie: coil i'sfconnected. by a: Wire; 1.00 totthe; battery" Wire194f..

r.Phef Contact 92r and; a'v companion. Contact 101. are adaptedi to= be bridgedby' the' track. 601 anda theco'ntact 99 and.' companion-i cen;- tact 102': are: adapted". tol lie-bridged by.-V the track 5.9.. I

Whenthe contacts 92 andi 101` are.` bridged? by the track. the current: Willv iovv' from. the battery through? switch and Wires9ety and: 98to1the coil. 90, threughzthecoilff 90 and. a Wire` 91- to theI contact 92 thencefthrough: the track 60rto-the contact. 101". and: then. throughv a Wire 103r torthewire 77 and therethrough to-the battery. l llhen' the contacts99. and11'02 are'bridged. by theftrack 59fthefcurrent Will flow from thel L- batteey through the: Wiresf 93- and`v 10.0. to the coil 97,.through: the coil andl Wire 98 to the contact 9.9 and. thence?through` the track 59 tothe-contact 102 from whence iis-.Will 110W through a; wire; 104tand: return to the battery through thefWirerZ'.

rlhev svvitchf 87 `includes a pair ot contacts 105( and= 1.06 Which are adapted: tofbe bridged; by a contact bar 108' on the:arm.89 Thecontact 105.is connectediby a wire 109.*tothebattery Wine'91 and'thecontact- 106 1s connected by'a Wire lflfto thefmotor Wire `65.

The switch 88V includes a` pair of ycontacts 112- and' 1'1'3-Whichf are adaptedtofbebridgedv by. accntactbar 114 on the arm 96;- The' contact. 1'12: is connected. by ar Wirev 115 to the battery. wire- 94.- and; the: contact'.- 11B-is con-- nccted by a- Wire 117 to thevmotorwire 7 8.-

When the1ccntacts-105fand- 106 are bridged) by thel Contact bar 108the current will How from, the Vbattery* through Wires 94' and. 109 toA the contact 105-and thence through the conr tact. bar 1.08; contact106'andvvire 110to the motorwire (i5-thereupon,- actuating the motor in4 one direction n Whenthe contacts 1.12 and 113 arebridged by the contact'bar 1:14. the current will dow from the battery-l through` Wires 9l-.. andA 115 lto the. contact 1.12 and: thencethrough' the contact bar 114.-, contact. 1:13 a-ndvvvwire 117. to the' motorA Wire- 78fth`ereupon-r actuating the.` motorin theropposite direction. l

When: itis desired. to start theautomatic svvitches87 aud-89itfheswitch'armf70'is movedA to av neutal.A positi on wherein; thef contact. bar

69 Willf not bridge eithen the'contact's-i67 and:

68 or the ccntacts 79 and 81 and then the switch 95V is' closed. Id the tracksi59and 60 are in the position shown in Fig. 8 .Whenzthe switch 95'i is closed? the' current WillloW to the coil 90 of the switch 87 whereupon the coiiwilflberheated: andheat. the thermal respunsive arm 89: Asfthearnn heatsit moves tcwands thecontactslO and. 106 and establishesla. circuit from: thebattery to the motor asprevicnsly described, therebyactuating. the meten to: rotate;- the signal member 1-0 and tracks 59: ande 6'0'inxone direction.. As the track 6.0 reaches-s the endf of its' travell itv dis-- engages from the contacts 92 and 101 thereby breaking; the circuit toI the coil? 90 Whereupon theanm 89 begins to cool and move the contact. bar.- 108 outY of engagement with the contacts. 105. andfy 106: thereby breahingthey circuit4 to the.I motor.`

As't'hesignal device ll2mcvesi`n the direction just describedfthe track 59i bridges the contacts 99f`andf 102 whereuponl the current thones-from thefbattery to' the: coil 97 of the switch 88- Whereupenf the coil will be heated aridheat thethermal;responsive arm 96. As the arm 96 heats it moves towardsthe contacts 112' and: 111-3.k and the Contact bar Heli-bridges the' contacts 112 and 113'- andvv establishes a circuit-front the'battery*tol the motor as previously described thereby. actuating the motor to rotate theI signal member42f and the tracks :S9-and: 60. Asthe track 59 reaches'the end of. it'stravel'it disengages from the contaets99 and" 102fthereby breaking the circuit toithe-.coiir97 Whereuponthearm 96 begins to cool: andmove the contact barll'iic outV of engagement With the contacts 112 and 113 thereby'break-ing; thel circuit. to the motor.

Thethermalresponsive arms 89 and 96 are so regulatedl that theyrequire considerable time'to'hcat suiiiciently to causethtei'r associated: cont-acts to be bridged thereby providing'. an. interval of.' time betweenv the disengagement oii'one Contact har and .its associated contacts andthe heatingof the thermaL arm of the' other circuit whereupon the signa-l. device is' stationary for' a time between: the1 actuations of the switches 87 and 88.

Iii-Figs; 9.andt 101 have indicated generally at a. further modified form of sinfna'l. This signal is-adapted tobe permanently secured in the desiredpesition andy also may serve as a platform for an eiiicer direcing, tra-flic. n

As shown this device comprises a circular body portion 121' having a flat top as indicated.` at 122 and having parabo'lically ta.- peredside Walls as`indicated'at123. he body also includes a. recess 124 and an' aperture 125 in' the top Wall which communicates With the recess 124 and is adapted to be closed' by a member A126, the top surface of which isY adapted to lieA flush 'with the top surfacel123 of the body portion.

f @n each of the four sides of the body portionz I provide a pair of apertures 128 which communicatefvvith the recess 124.- and areaprovided` with' translucent closures 129. The closures 1l29A ofeacli-pairare ot a different color suchas red and green, and each of the four sets ot closures are ot the same color arrangement. Behind each ot the closures 129 I provide an electric lamp 130 and wl screen the lamps one from the other as by members 131. This signal device is adapted to be automatically operated and in Fig. 11 I have diagrammatically shown one torm ot electrical hook up.

U In Fig. 11 the lamps behind the red transconnected by a wire 140 to a contact track 141 and a companion contact track 142 is connected by a wire 143 to the other Aside ot the battery 137.

All the red lamps 135 and the green lamps 136 are connected by a wire 144 to a contact 145 and a. companion contact 146 is connected by a wire 147 to the wire 143. Thus it will be seen that when the oppositely disposed red lamps 135 are lighted the right angularly disposed green lamps 136 will be lighted and when the oppositely disposed red lamps 135 are lighted the right angulzrly disposed green lamps 136 will be lighte For alternately bridging the cont-acts 141, 142, 145 and 146, I provide a contact bar 148 mounted on a thermal responsive metal arm 149. This arm is adapt-ed to be heated by an electrical resistance coil 150 which is connected at onel end by a wire 151 to the wire 144 andat the other end is connected by a wire 152 to a Contact 153. The arm 149 is shown as mounted in a support 154 which lincludes a movable slide 155 which engages the arm 149 and by which the flexibility of the arm 149 may be adjusted.

When the arm 149 is cold the Contact bar 148 bridges the contacts 145, 14,6, and 153, whereupon when t-he switch 139 is closed the current flows from the battery to the contacts 145, 146 and 153, thereby lighting the lamps 135 and 136 and heating the coil 150 and the arm 149. Then the arm becomes warm enough it moves towards the. tracks 141 and 142 and breaks the circuit between the contacts 145, 146 and 147thereby extinguishing the lamps 135 and 136 and allowing the coil 150 to cool.

When the Contact bar 148 bridges the tracks 141 and 142 the lamps 135 and 136 are lighted and stay lighted until the-arm 149 has vcooled suiiiciently to move the contact bar out ot engagement with the tracks 141 and 142 and into engagement with the contacts 145, 146 and 153 whereupon the operation ot the signal will be repeated.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

' In a .traiiic signaldevice, a signal member including means to indicate tratlic go when in one position and traffic stop7 when rotated substantially 90 from the lirst named position, means to rotatablymount said signal, a pair ot electrical conductive tracks mounted on said signal member, a reversible motor arranged to drive said signal member, a control switch, said control switch including two sets of contacts and a movably mounted contact bar adapted to bridge said sets of contacts alternately, a source of electrical energy and mea-ns whereby when said contact bar bridges one set ot contacts current will be conducted from said source to said motor to rotate said signal member and upon rotation of said member and said tracks to a predetermined point the circuit to said motor will be broken and when said contact bar bridges the other of said sets of contacts current will be conducted from said source to said motor through the other oi' said tracks and operate said motor in the opposite direction until said other track has rotated a predetermined distance whereupon the circuit to said motor will b-e broken, and means whereby when the circuit through one ot said tracks is broken the other of said tracks will be in a position to complete a circuit to said motor when` said contact bar bridges the correct set of contacts, automatic means for actuating said signal member when said control switch is in a neutral position, said automatic means including a pair ot automatic switches, said switcheseach including a pair of contacts and a contact bar adapted to bridge said contacts, said contact bars each being mounted on a thermal responsive arm, an electrical resistance coil associated with each of said arms and adapted to heat said arms, means connecting one of said coils to said battery through one of said tracks when said track is in a predetermined position and means connecting the other of said coils to said battery through the other of said tracks when said other track is in a predetermined position, and said tracks when in another predetermined position being adapted to break the circuit to said coils, said tracks when in one Apredetermined position being adapted to make a circuit to conduct current to said coils to heat said coils and said thermal arms, said arms when heated being adapted to move said contact bars into engagement with their associa-ted contacts and make a circuit to said motor to operate said motor and actuate said signal member, said automatic switches being operable consecutively.

In testimony whereot, I hereunto aliiX my signature.

VERN M. OSBORN. 

